LINCOLN--With Mayor Coleen Seng and former Mayor Don Wesely looking on, Lincoln Downtown Rotary Club and Lincoln East Rotary Club on June 5 announced a $51,000 donation to help build a new entry pavilion at the soon-to-be-renovated Sunken Gardens.

"This donation celebrates the centennial anniversary of Rotary International in 2005. There are 1.5 million Rotarians around the world doing something significant in their communities to celebrate this occasion. Our choice, in this city, of all the worthy projects, is this pavilion at the Sunken Gardens," President Phil Heckman said. Joining Heckman in the recognition was Ernie Hines, President-Elect of the Lincoln East Rotary Club.

The first Rotary Club was established in Chicago in 1905. Currently there are more than 33,000 clubs in 169 countries.

"Last October, Rotary East and Rotary Downtown decided to collaborate on this task and spent many months searching for the right project. We wanted it to be significant, serving many people many times over many years and, for obvious reasons, to be something of high visibility.

"No site was better than the Sunken Gardens and no project more fitting than the new Rotary Pavilion. Also, there is a degree of pride to being one of the early partners in the renewal and improvement of this community treasure," said Heckman.

Since it was built in 1930, the Sunken Gardens has became one of the most popular and beautiful places to visit in Lincoln, and in the country. Just recently, the National Geographic Guide to America's Public Gardens listed the Sunken Gardens as one of the "300 Best Gardens to Visit in the U.S. and Canada." It is the only Nebraska garden to be included in this prestigious list, and the only concentrated public garden in Lincoln.

Now nearly 73 years old, the Sunken Gardens is in desperate need of repair. The infrastructure is aged, creating safety concerns, limiting accessibility and increasing maintenance that has to be done each year by the city's parks staff to keep the garden open.

The $1.7 million Sunken Gardens Renovation Project, launched publicly in mid-May by the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation, is the first major renovation of the Gardens. The renovation will include a new handicapped-accessible entrance, an entry pavilion, a restored cascading water feature, new sculptural elements, restrooms, maintenance storage, renovated lily pools, an automated irrigation system and lighting.

The total cost of the project is $1.7 million. The City has committed $100,000 in funds from the Capital Improvement Program each year for two years. Nearly $600,000 has been donated from individuals, foundations and businesses, leaving about $1 million to be raised.

Co-chairing the campaign for the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation are Mike Seacrest, and Roger and JeNeane Dodson. Sandy Hilsabeck, Will Scott and Robert Scott are heading the two major fundraising committees. They hope to complete the campaign by the end of 2003.

The beds will be under construction in 2004 and will not be planted. The newly renovated Sunken Gardens will be unveiled in the spring of 2005.

More information on "Polishing the Gem: Preserving Our National Treasure," is available on the campaign web site, www.lincolnsunkengardens.com

Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation, 2740 "A" Street, Lincoln, NE 68502. To get involved in the Sunken Gardens Renovation Project, contact Susan Larson Rodenburg at 421-1401.

Photo Cutline:

Rotarians Donate $51,000 to Sunken Gardens Project (from left): Harland Johnson, Harley Bair, Ernie Hines (all members of Lincoln East Rotary Club), Campaign Co-Chair Roger Dodson, Lincoln Downtown Rotary Club President Phil Heckman, Lincoln Mayor Coleen Seng, Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation President Clancy Woolman and Campaign Co-Chair Mike Seacrest gather at a June 5 news conference to announce the Rotarian gift.